While searching for a job, you’ve probably spent a fair amount of time on your resume, perfecting the language, format, and information to show the excellent employee you would make.
It’s tempting to feel “done” at that point, to believe that your resume will open the floodgates to interviews galore and infinite job offers, but hold on a second.
You still have a cover letter to write.
As a military spouse, you likely live with the following questions in the back of your mind:
When will we move next?
Where will we be stationed?
How long will we live there?
With such an on-the-move lifestyle, you know the challenges of finding work or furthering your education without a definite location. Did you know there is a scholarship specifically designed to help you develop your career—regardless of location? That’s right, the government-funded MyCAA program is tailor-made for you.
Here are the details.
With thousands of individuals, potentially hundreds of thousands depending on where you live, applying for positions in your area, you need to make sure you stand out from the rest. You need to be memorable enough that the recruiter picks up your information and sends it to the hiring department for consideration.
How do you make that happen? The fastest way to an interview is to make sure your resume reflects your skills and experience and that it matches the qualifications for the job for which you are applying. You have to make it very clear that you are the person they are looking for.
An important step in leaving the military and starting your life as a civilian is the Department of Defense’s
Transition Assistance Program. Go here for an overview, embedded resources, and links to each service branch’s iteration of the program.
When TAP first appeared more than 20 years ago, it ran for five hours and participation was voluntary. Now, it takes a week and attendance is mandatory, although retirees may opt out. The mission and content of TAP is important, and the value you receive depends on the trainers at your installation and the amount of effort you put into it.
Regardless of the quality of the service provided and your participation, you might miss out on some critical information, especially in the job hunting and interviewing components of the program. Here are four important lessons to add to what you already know.
I’ve been blessed to be married to my wife for almost 20 years. It hasn’t always been easy; we work on it all the time.
To help enhance your marriage, here is a list of relationship books that have helped us. They are in no particular order, and I’ve included brief reviews. You can find them in print, digital, and audio formats in stores, online, or at your local library.
During a recent career coaching session with a fellow named Charles, an Army major who was about to retire, I asked him what he would really like to do in his civilian career. He replied that figuring out the answer to that question was his biggest stumbling block.
That is not uncommon for people in his situation, so I asked him the same question, but in a different way. I said, “OK, forget about the titles and instead just give me the elements or characteristics of what you would be good at and what would make you happy.”
He smiled and said, “That’s easy, Tom. I want to control my own destiny. Sink or swim on my own merits. Call my own shots. Get my hands dirty. Work hard, and get paid for it. Be home most nights for dinner and not have to relocate.”
I asked, “Charles, have you thought about going into business for yourself?”
Mission: Milspouse is a
501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
EIN Number: 88-1604492
hello@missionmilspouse.org
P.O. Box 641341
El Paso, TX 79904
